West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-08-18

shot his father for whipping him.
A colored man Of Hopkinsville, KY,
thought 10 scare deaf mute OF the
place by suddenly rushing out on him
as he passed. He was successful, for
the mute was so alarmed that he drew a
revolver and shot FIVE balls into the prac-
teal joker, killing him.
An aged negro blacksmith, who still
does good work at the forge in Ozan,
Ark. and who is known as Governor
Pickins, Is probably the oldest working
blacksmith living. He was born in
South Carolina March z, 1887, was sold
on the block in New Orleans, and taken
TO Arkansas in 1910.
The Kickapoo Indian doctor whom a
pretty Racine girl has just married is de-
scribed as being about so years old. has
only one arm, is hunchbacked, wears his
hair foot long, and moves along as III
half dead. There is no telling by what
sort OF man young maiden's fancy
may be taken captive.
There is a mysterious person, known
as the Second Plunger," who visits the
Monmouth Park races. He has a minis
terial cast Of countenance, talks to no
one, dresses quietly, and bets with all
most unvarying success. His winnings
amount to over $35, 900. He lost &3,-
600 on one race last week, but cleared
$1,000 on the race which followed.
At the reunion OF the Ezell family at
the home of Braxton Ezell, of Jasper
county. Ga, there were present GO
members of the family. representing four
generations Of children, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren A remarkable
feature in the history of this family is
that only four have died, and not one
who had passed the age OF years. Mr..
Braxton Ezell is 90 years old.
Mrs. Langtry, of Washington, recentlv
visited her father, Matthew Wilson, the
artist. at his cottage on the shores of
Lake George. The rumor spread that
Mrs. Langtry, the actress, was at the
cottage, and crowds OF curious people
gathered to see the famous beauty. So
annoying did this notoriety become to
Mr.. Wilson's daughter that she was OBJ
uged to return to Washington.
James Delaney, trackman on the
Santa Fe road, said to some of his com
panions when a couple of tramps were
mangled last week: "Boys, I'll be the
next man killed on this road" A few
days after he was caught between tracks
on trestle by two trains, and in attemp-
ting to escape fell head foremost on the
rail. He was decapitated instantly,
while the body was thrown upon the
other track and torn into shreds.
Charles Painter, who died in Airing
ton, Md, aged 20 years, was noted as
the man who introduced ice cream into
Maryland. When young man he
moved with brother from their native
Pennsylvania to Carroll county, and soon
after they made a small quantity of ice
cream, the first seen in that section, and
distributed it among their acquaintances.
As the taste for it spread the brothers
went extensively into the business, until
finally their names became household
words.
General Colt, Chief of the old War
and Navy Division of the Pension Office,
sent an interesting antique to the Poe
omtock Valley Memorial Association OF
Massachusetts,, recently. It was the
commission of John Clarke as First
Lieutenant in the Colonial Army, and
bore the signature of John Hancock in
larger and holder hieroglyphics than the
famous signature on the Declaration of
Independence. The commission is be-
lieved 20 be the first that was Issued by
the Colonial Congress, being dated a
year and three days prior to the Declar-
alton of Independence. There is no
record of any that is older than this.
Clark died in Deerfeld, Mass In 1929,
at the age OF 80 years.
Boston has just received from Africa
the largest gorilla ever landed in this
country. His name is Jack, and he is
fve feet In height when standing erect,
and measures feet from the end Of one
outstretched hand to the other. !Ie
weighs about 1875 pounds, and exhibits
enormous strength, compared with which
that Of man seems like child's. He
arrived IN large box made of planking
/ 1-2 inches thick, and when being re-
moved from the ship he tore large splin-
ters from the hardwood planks with as
| much ease as a child would break a twio.
The bair which is very coarse and from
to inches in length, is of a preenish-
| gray color, and on the back, legs, and
arms inclines to black. His shoulders
are immense. The expression of the
face, which is black, is scowlinQ. The
eyes are small, sunken in the head, and
the lips large and thin.
A few days ago Mrs. Houser, who lives
/ at the foot OF the Blue mountain. near
the Monroe county line in Pennsylvania
started to go down into the cellar. On
the third step she saw big rattle snake
coiled, ready TO spring. She reiterated
and called her husband from a field. He
went to the house and killed the snake.
/ lie started back to his ork. and his
wife. being afraid to go into the cellar
by the inside step, started down the out
side way. Halt way down she discov.
cred mother rationale, coiled on a
step ready to sp ing, as the first ono had
been. She hurried out Of the cellarway
and shouted TO her husband. She found
he was battling with two more snakes
IN the road. After killing these he re-
/ returned to the hnilaa and fn,,nd a. thn